The State government on Wednesday told the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that pursuant to the court’s direction, government orders were passed with regard to cancellation of the premature release of two life convicts, who had breached the conditions and committed crimes, including murder.
A Division Bench of Justices S. Vaidyanathan and G. Jayachandran was told that the orders cancelling the premature release of the two life convicts – Uma Shankar and Saiprasath – were passed by the Home Secretary.
The court was hearing the petition filed by N. Ilavarasi of Theni district who sought a direction to the Home Secretary to consider her representation and cancel the premature release of the two life convicts. She said the two were involved in the murder of her husband Nagendran.
The convicts, who were undergoing life imprisonment for the murder of one Kumaraguru, were prematurely released in 2018. After their release, they breached the conditions and were involved in the murder of her husband and two other criminal cases, the petitioner said.
She said the premature release of the life convicts and their subsequent conduct had caused fear and apprehension in her and her family members’ minds that the released life convicts would come after their lives.
She made a representation to the government to cancel their premature release in 2020. The court was told that the Director General of Prisons had taken note of the conduct of the two life convicts and recommended to the government to pass orders to rescind their premature release.
But, the Home Secretary had not taken any action in this regard. Hence, the court had said the Home Secretary should take necessary action, failing which he would be summoned to explain the delay in taking the decision.
